TELEGRAM TO S. G. SHAHUMYAN[1]

Written:Written on July 29, 1918Published:First published in 1938 in the magazineKrasny ArkhivNo. 4–5.

      Printed from the original.Source:Lenin
	  Collected Works,

      Progress Publishers,[1976],

      Moscow,Volume 35,

      page345.Translated:Andrew RothsteinTranscription\Markup:R. CymbalaPublic Domain:Lenin Internet Archive.You may freely copy, distribute,
	display and perform this work, as well as make derivative and
	commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
	Archive” as your source.•README

AstrakhanFor Shahumyan in Baku

Anyactions by the Dashnaks against the decision of the
Fifth Congress of Soviets and the central Soviet power
will be considered insurrection and treason. As regards
sending troops we shall take steps, but cannot promise for
certain.

[1]Thistelegram was Lenin’s reply to a telegram from Baku
reporting the advance of the Turkish troops and the treacherous
activities of the Dashnaks, and also the Mensheviks and
Socialist-Revolutionaries, who at an extraordinary meeting of the Baku
Soviet on July 25, 1918, in spite of energetic protests by Bolshevik
leaders of Soviet power in the city, had managed to gain an
insignificant majority for a resolution inviting the British to give Baku
military “assistance”.

Afterthe passing of this resolution, the Bolsheviks declared
that they would resign their posts as People’s Commissars. They
continued, however, to light for Soviet power. At an emergency
meeting of the Executive Committee of the Baku Soviet on July 
26, 1918 it was decided that until the question of power was
finally settled all People’s Commissars should remain at their posts.
The All-Baku Conference of Bolsheviks held on July 27 resolved
that emergency measures should be taken to defend Baku under
the leadership of the, C.P.C.; it also resolved to announce general
mobilisation and call upon the workers to defend the city and
Soviet power. The Baku C.P.C. undertook various measures to fulfil
this decision.